Hey, I'm new here, but if you all don't mind a few words from a newbie. :-)

"Simple Gifts" is an old Shaker song (also made very popular by Aaron Copland). The lyrics about turning and whatnot referred to the sort of dervish they did. O Come O Come Emmanuel is a 12th century French chant (originally sung in Latin) (one of my favourite songs also!).

I think half our hymns are based on folk songs/drinking songs and the other half are written buy guys like Bach and Wesley :-)

~Deborah